Pouf…Magic

31 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by HOMErandRuth in Decor, Furniture

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black and white, kilim, knit, metallic, Moroccan, nursery, Pouf, southwest

What is this curious object called a pouf? Is it an ottoman, additional seating, a pet bed, just decoration? I mean, do we rely need to categorize it? It comes in all shapes and sizes, all colors and fabrications; it’s fabulous and functional, and I say, everyone should have one 🙂

Here are a few of my picks.

The metallic leather of this pouf makes it so versatile, think formal living room, romantic bedroom, or ultra chic walk-in closet (you know, because we all have ginormous dressing rooms in our homes, haha)

Overstock; Leather Silver Pouf Ottoman (Morocco)

This knit pouf is just plain fun. Great for a kids’ playroom or any informal family gathering space

CB2; Knitted Blood Orange Pouf

My obsession with ethnic prints continues, and this kilim pouf is one of my faves. See more of my black and white picks here

West Elm; Kite Kilim Floor Pouf

Now this is just adorable. I call this a ‘nursery necessity’

Etsy-aletafae; 24″ Ottoman Pouf Floor Pillow Gisella Giraffe

The southwest trend prevails with this pouf that adds personality and interest to any space

Rugs USA; Ottomans Ethnic Pouf Multi

Does any room in your home need a ‘pouf’ of excitement?

Coffee Chat

28 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by HOMErandRuth in Furniture

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coffee table, craftsman, eclectic, furniture, glam, mid-century modern, rustic

Let’s chat about coffee tables. They’re a staple in any living space and they can say a lot about your style. Here are 5 options, each with their own point of view.

Hollywood Glam

Asian Inspired Eclectic

Rustic Country Chic

Classic Craftsman

Mid-century Modern

Do you have a favorite?

P.S. You can find all the fabulous tables above at Overstock (great option for affordable furniture and home decor!)

Black and White and Fab All Over

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by HOMErandRuth in Decor

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bedding, black and white, chair, pillow, rug, wallpaper

So, you want to add interest to a room, but you’re afraid of color… have no fear, here are some chic options that stick to a neutral black and white color palette.

Wallpaper is a bit of a commitment, but this one is just fabulous!

This bedding is crisp and clean, but still shows personality.

The oversized damask print on this chair is the right mix of fun and sophisticated.

This pillow is like adding abstract art to your couch.

Truly one of my favorite prints of the moment, this chevron rug is the definition of effortless chic!

Modern Elegance

24 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by HOMErandRuth in Room Design

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blue, chair, chartreuse, fireplace, rug, silver, sofa

My husband and I recently moved into a cute little house we’re renting in Los Angeles. It has lots of charm which I love, but more importantly, it has lots of projects. 😉 I’ve decided to start in the living room, and although it’s not done yet, I thought I’d share a little bit about the journey…

First things first, the color palette:

What I love about the palette is that it’s unexpected and whimsical. The room is a bit dark, so I wanted to make sure to infuse vibrant colors (like the blue and chartreuse), and then ground these with some deep wood tones (including the hard wood floors). A dark room can always benefit from reflective surfaces, so I plan to use silver accents to do just that.

The first place I brought in the blue was the walls which we painted in BEHR Ultra in Millstream. See what I mean about the charm… love!

Next I brought in a fabulous rug…

To balance out the feminine rug and ground all of the blue, I decided to go with a modern sofa in a masculine brown tweed. The sofa hasn’t arrived yet, but, rest assured, when it does, I’ll be jazzing it up with beautiful accent pillows that help carry through the color palette.

Lastly, I created this little vignette that anchors the right side of the room. I love how it brings together all aspects of the color palette. These chairs were actually floor samples we got for a great price at West Elm (no shame in bargain hunting!)

Well, that’s all for now. I’ll complete the room once our sofa arrives. Stay tuned for pics of the final product with all the finishing touches… so excited!

Amused in Orlando

22 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by HOMErandRuth in Uncategorized

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restaurant, Sunrise

Earlier this week I had to travel to Orlando for work. While not exactly design-inspired, the city best known for its amusement parks managed to provide just that.

The butter that accompanied our bread at the hotel restaurant… interesting and disturbing all at the same time. FYI – it went untouched the entire meal

Sunrise from my room overlooking the golf course… Magnificent

Best fortune ever! Courtesy of Mr. P. F. Chang, haha 😉

Trend Alert: Southwest Style

19 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by HOMErandRuth in Decor, Room Design, Shopping

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Tags

blue, brass, casual, chair, coffee table, family room, gold, lamp, leather, Living Room, mirror, ottoman, pillow, recliner, rug, runner, sofa, southwest, vase, wood

I found this rug while browsing Gilt Home and I love it! It’s so unique and is a prime example of the southwest trend I’ve been seeing so much of lately.

Southwest style tends to have lots of deep, rich colors like the blues and golds in the rug. It’s often also associated with shades of mauve and turquoise, but sometimes those feel a bit too literal. It’s all about natural and organic elements, so leather, wood and brass prevail… along with anything in an earth tone. Most of all, it’s about casual comfort and warmth!

I decided to challenge myself to “furnish” a southwest inspired room… and, since I found my inspiration on Gilt, I designed the whole room with items available on Gilt Home (no, they’re not paying me for this post, it just happens to be one of my favorite sites!) So, here it is… what do you think?

Runner– Nourison│Rug– Nourison│Starburst Mirror– Mirror Image │Kanishka Decorative Pillow– Anichini │Baroque Gold Leaf Floor Lamp– Arteriors Home │Ottoman- no longer available │Sofa– A. Rudin │Trapeze Coffee Table– Central Station │Angelic Bottle Vase– Joe Cariati │Agate Slice– Brenda Houston │Brass Sculpture – Arteriors Home │Leather Reclining Chair– Modern Milano

Knock, Knock

17 Saturday Mar 2012

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I have this weird thing with doors. I don’t know how or why it started, but I somehow get inspired by them. Today I discovered So Haute which had a great picture of a pair of doors in Kensington, London; so I’m building on that for today’s post.

It doesn’t get any cuter than this… maybe I should move to London 🙂

The beauty in these doors is in their history… these are the front doors to Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama where Dr. Martin Luther King served as pastor and where the Montgomery Bus Boycott was organized

Eccentric beauty in Palm Springs… I wonder if my husband would approve of a powder pink front door?

This may seem like a simple rustic door, and in fact it is, but it happens to be a door at the Audelessa Winery in Sonoma, California where my now-husband proposed to me 🙂

I took this picture on my honeymoon… one of the many magnificent sets doors at Wat Phra Kaew (the Emerald Buddha temple) in Bangkok, Thailand

Before & After: Hell’s Kitchen, NY

15 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by HOMErandRuth in Before & After, Decor

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Desk, Dining Room, Living Room, New York, paint

I’m feeling a little nostalgic today. I’m an LA native and it’s been great being back home, but I definitely miss New York. So… for my first before and after, I’m showcasing my Hell’s Kitchen apartment

BEFORE:

White walls and parquet floors… yikes!

Blinds hiding a pretty good view

DURING:

I was having a blast… my husband, not so much

AFTER:

We went with a light grey on the walls with a fabulous plum accent wall. The shelves (ikea) came with a back board, but I choose not to attach them in order to let the plum show through.

When living in a 670 sq. ft. 1 bedroom in New York, rooms have to do triple duty. I put a sideboard behind the couch to separate the living and dining room and added a small desk too… oh, and did I mention the view? Love!